Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle
The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, affectionately known as Seattle’s “Grand Dame,” has been a beacon of luxury since it opened in 1924. Built on the original site of the University of Washington, the hotel was designed by the New York firm George B. Post & Son in a stunning Italian Renaissance style. Its history is deeply intertwined with the city’s growth, having hosted countless celebrities, royalty, and even U.S. Presidents over the last century.
The building is famous for its intricate, historic details, such as the hand-carved oak woodwork, antique chandeliers, and original travertine flooring. Following a massive multi-million dollar restoration, these classic elements were carefully preserved while integrating modern touches, like a striking kinetic art installation above the central lobby bar. Guests often enjoy hunting for hidden surprises, including secret staircases and passageways that once connected the hotel to neighboring buildings.
Location-wise, the hotel sits in the heart of downtown, making it an ideal base for any Seattle adventure. You are just a short walk from the world-famous Pike Place Market, where you can watch the fish-throwers and browse local artisanal crafts.
Culture enthusiasts will also love the proximity to the Seattle Art Museum and the historic 5th Avenue Theatre, located right across the street. Whether you are strolling down to the waterfront piers or taking in the city skyline, the Fairmont Olympic offers a perfect blend of timeless elegance and convenient access to the best the Emerald City has to offer.
Expert reviews
“Covering an entire city block smack-dab in the heart of downtown, the Fairmont Olympic is Seattle’s grande dame of hotels and the place to stay if you want a traditional, full-service, grand hotel experience. The majesty, opulence and scale of its lobby and the Georgian Room is simply unparalleled.”
Featured as Frommer’s Exceptional Choice in Seattle.
“With 450 rooms and every imaginable service, this place is certainly a splurge, but it’s worth exploring even if you don’t stay here – have an oyster at Shuckers, the oak-paneled hotel bar, or pose like royalty on the Versailles-worthy main staircase.”
“A Seattle landmark since 1924, the Fairmont Olympic offers refined luxury and top-notch customer service. No wonder it attracts a fiercely loyal clientele, who also appreciate its prime Downtown location, many amenities, and timeless glamor.”
Featured as Fodor’s Choice in Seattle.
“One of Seattle’s most historic hotels. The Fairmont Olympic strikes the right balance between old-world glamour in its lobby and contemporary luxury in its rooms.”
What guests liked
- Friendly staff
- Excellent location
- Comfortable beds
Location
Recent guest reviews
29 September 2025
Very comfortable
The ambiance very nice historical hotel
29 September 2025
Great location and a well appointed hotel.
The room was clean and spacious. The bed was comfortable. Dining is available from room service to fine dining. The location was close to light rail, monorail, and Pike Market. There are restaurants and bars in walking distance.
The lobby bar while beautiful is extremely busy on weekends. Charges kept appearing on our credit card. We had to go ask the front desk to clear up the charges. We had prepaid but they still charged us. It was easily addressed.
17 September 2025
Very happy to stay in this hotel.
The location of this hotel is very central, easy to go to the attractive city.
Nothing, all good !
15 September 2025
Beautiful but overpriced in all ways
Great location. Attentive staff.
The worst coffee in the room ever! Other hotels had better breakfast options and at much more reasonable prices.
13 September 2025
Amazing property with tons of amenities and huge rooms
Beautiful with lots of amenities and great location to walk to nearby attractions or public transport. Also very large rooms
12 September 2025
Exceptional
Beautiful hotel
12 September 2025
Former grand hotel has seen better times, specially the rooms
Nice breakfast restaurant, rooms are sized well. Location is good.
This was a great grand hotel. Rooms are ok but totally outdated, as are the bathrooms. Check-in an check-out are painfully slow.
4 September 2025
This luxury hotel is located in walking distance to many of the main attractions
Luxurious
Valet overnight parking very expensive
2 September 2025
Exceptional service
Our room was nicely decorated and fully stocked. Bathroom was nice. Staff was helpful. Our whole experience exceeded our expectations.
Nothing comes to mind.
16 August 2025
Memories made.
Beautiful. Friendly staff, especially valet personnel. Beds very comfortable
Nothing
15 August 2025
We like the luxury feeling and history of this hotel.
location our room with view of the bay, the pool - very nice, breakfast excellent food although i miss the tablecloths
long wait at check in. after 4:45 before our room ready.
22 July 2025
Exceptional
EXCELLENT !!!
13 July 2025
Excellent stay overall
Excellent location, beautiful building, excellent service by staff
Nothing in particular
29 June 2025
great
really great better than weston
great
5 June 2025
Fabulous
Haven’t stayed here since it was a Four Seasons. It has done a remarkable job with a very comfortable feel and atmosphere.
1 June 2025
Loved It!
Historic
Nothing
19 May 2025
Very good
No Refrigerator to put leftovers in.
24 April 2025
Exceptional
Pool was amazing with kids They even gave us kid size robes
18 April 2025
This is really what classic 5 star places should be like
The epitome of luxury and attention to detail.
Nothing
13 April 2025
Exceptional
Staff attentive to detail. Locations perfect. Amenities Galor. Dining options excellent and exceptional.
NA
23 March 2025
Relaxing fun weekend staycation
Beautiful lobby bar and speak easy, friendly staff
Loved it all!
25 February 2025
Lovely hotel for a downtown getaway
Beautiful lobby, restaurant, and bar! The staff were exceptionally friendly. We loved having dinner and drinks and relaxing on the couches in the bar area. They were close enough to be part of the classic atmosphere but were private enough for conversation. Rooms were wonderful, I appreciate that the hotel has kept many of the (well-maintained) vintage elements of the bathroom instead of giving in to the ultra-modern cookie cutter style of many other hotels.
We were a little disappointed with the pool and hot tub area, it was a bit dirty and looked like it had not been deep cleaned in a long time.
9 February 2025
Happy
Good
5 February 2025
Perfection at it's best
Beautiful hotel and Guest services could not have been better.
There was nothing I didn't like.
27 January 2025
Exceptional
Love the lobby bar ambiance.
13 January 2025
Fabulous
Everything!
The bath tub seems way bigger in the pictures.
12 January 2025
Exceptional
Everything about the hotel was amazing!!
The only thing we were disappointed about, was that our stay was so short. We would love to stay there again!!
9 January 2025
Excellent hotel in a great location
Everything was first class including room service.
28 December 2024
Excellent
Beautiful hotel
I hope they don’t raise the price too much
24 December 2024
Loved the hotel, will return when next we have the opportunity!
The facilities, decor, rooms. Exceptional.
That to get to reception one had to navigate through patrons enjoying drinks and loud conversation! An somewhat unique and odd feature.
18 December 2024
Exceptional
clean, staff is very friendly, great place to stay although somewhat pricey for 1 night but hey, it’s the fairmont
Lobby seems a bit outdated but not sure if that’s just the vibe they were going for
17 December 2024
Our stay at the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle was superb!
The hotel is beautiful inside and out - and especially so for Christmas. The room was very nice, included lots of amenities and the bed was very comfortable. The location is excellent - easy walking distance to Pike Place market and the waterfront. The staff was friendly and very helpful.
14 December 2024
Amazing stay!
Such a beautiful hotel. Beds are so comfortable, dining offerings and location are great! It’s dog friendly and the holiday decorations made it extra special!
12 December 2024
Great location , clean but outdated
Classic Hotel. Big room.
Needs work over. Noisy bar in the middle of the lobby. Staff not really helpful.
9 December 2024
Stayed at hotel several times over many years. Continues to be the grand dame
Room and room service were superb , Breakfast in restaurant was excellent Never waited for elevator Friendly and helpful staff
Bit crowded in lobby, but people were having fun
2 December 2024
Wonderful beautiful experience:-)
Location and beautiful.
Pricing is high for everything but was worth it for the experience and location!!
21 November 2024
Excellent
The quality and ambience of the interior. It is very well furnished. The room was excellent, luxurious toiletries and bedding.
Credit card prepayment process was difficult to follow and not transparent.
4 November 2024
Great service
Service is fantastic!
Rooms could use some updating.
29 October 2024
Fantastic!
It’s a very nice place to stay! Has a great atmosphere and the staff are exceptional!
I honestly liked all of it!
27 October 2024
So much fun for a quick weekend girls trip!
The history and the character.
20 October 2024
Great hotel in the heart of the city.
Staff was really professional and friendly. The location was good for our needs. The facilities (that we saw) were great.
It’s simple but the shower temperature setting was almost impossible to get between cool and scolding. Not a deal breaker though.
19 October 2024
We’ll be back.
lobby and the bar
High tea has to be scheduled unlike others they have a specific time every afternoon. I want to try the high tea for my next visit
4 October 2024
Excellent
Centrally located, safe, very clean and exceptional staff from Valet, luggage attendants , check in, bartender, and housekeepers. It was a jewel in Seattle
Nothing
29 September 2024
Will return
Location, facility, ambiance and welcoming professional staff
Nothing
25 September 2024
Exceptionally luxurious stay
Exceptional hotel. Great welcome, beautiful room, friendly personnel and good restaurant. Everything was perfect during our stay. We also had room service which arrived beautifully on a cart nicely made up with flowers. Very luxurious.
Nothing, everything was top
3 September 2024
Wonderful
The restaurants
3 September 2024
Elegant stunning Hotel
Perfectly located around everything and it’s just a really beautiful hotel.
I have no complaints
1 September 2024
Exceptional
Historic location and amazing beds
I wish we got a room in a higher floor due to street noise
31 August 2024
Can’t wait to come back!
It’s beautiful! Felt like I was going back in time. So classic and timeless.
I loved it!
Hotel facilities
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Barber/beauty shop
- - Family rooms
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Packed lunches
- - Car hire
- - Heating
- - Allergy-free room
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Minimarket on site
- - Paid WiFi
- - Pet basket
- - Pet bowls
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
Food & Drink
- - Bar
- - Snack bar
- - Special diet menus (on request)
- - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
- - Fruits (additional charge)
- - Coffee house on site
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Express check-in/check-out
- - Luggage storage
- - ATM/cash machine on site
- - Concierge service
- - Invoice provided
Activities
- - Fitness centre
- - Golf course (within 3 km) (additional charge)
- - Spa and wellness centre (additional charge)
- - Massage (additional charge)
- - Hot tub/Jacuzzi
- - Indoor pool
- - Indoor pool (all year)
- - Beauty services
- - Facial treatments
- - Waxing services
- - Make-up services
- - Manicure
- - Pedicure
- - Body treatments
- - Body scrub
- - Body wrap
- - Light therapy
- - Spa facilities
Outdoors
- - Terrace
Parking
- - Parking garage
- - Electric vehicle charging station
- - Accessible parking
Pool and wellness
- - Heated pool
- - Sun loungers or beach chairs
- - Swimming pool
- - Swimming pool
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Key access
- - Key card access
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - CCTV outside property
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Breakfast takeaway containers
- - Delivered food is securely covered
- - Access to health care professionals
- - Face masks for guests available

More photos

3 October 2025
Upscale hotel in great location